Banjo



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LORENZO PIAZZA, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO HARVEY A. BEESLEY,

01? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

BANJO.

Specification of Letters latent. Patented luau. 23, 1920.

Application filed September 22, 1919. Serial No. 325,533.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LORENZO PIAZZA, a citizen of the United States, residing atLos Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Banjos, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in banjos and the objects of my invention are to provide a banjo with means for increas ing the tone volume and to make a banjo having a double walled rim carrying sound holes, and my invention consists of the novel features herein shown, described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a perspective of a banjo embodying the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The outer rim 1 fits against the end face 2 of the neck 3. A spacing ring 4 fits within the lower end of the rim 1. A flange 5 extends inwardly from the lower part of the ring 1. The inner rim 6 fits with its lower end within the ring 1 against the flange 5. A strengthening block 7 is inserted between the outer rim 1 and the inner rim 6 in line with the face 2 of the neck 3 and the strengthening block 7 rests upon the ring 4. The rims 1 and 6 are concentric to each other and the upper edge of the inner rim 6 is slightly above the upper edge of the outer rim 1.

Openings 8 are formed through the outer rim 1 and similar openings 9 are formed through the inner rim 6, said openings 8 and 9 being equally spaced apart around the rims and the openings 9 being smaller than the openings 8 and the openings 8 and 9 being in radial lines.

A brace 10 is inserted through the inner rim 6, through the block 7 and into the neck 3 at one end and at its opposite end extends through the inner rim 6 against the outer rim 1. The brace 10 extends diametrically across the body of the instrument and in line with the neck 3. A stop 11 is secured to the brace 10 by a screw 12 and has an inclined outer face 13 on each side of the brace 10. Wedges 14 are inserted between the faces 13 and the inner face of the inner rim 6.

A screw 15 is inserted through the outer rim 1 into the end of the brace 10, said screw 15 having a head 16 through which the string tightener rod 17 extends. The membrane or head 18 is stretched over the upper edge of the inner rim 6 and over the upper edge of the outer rim 1 and held by tighteners 19 in the usual way.

The strings 20 are connected to the fitting 21- at the upper end of the rod 17, so that the strain of the strings 20 is upon the head 16, and so that the brace 10 holds the rims against the tension of the strings 20.

The uses and advantages are obvious.

Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. Ina banjo, an outer rim, a ring fitting in the lower end of the outer rim, an inner rim fitting within the ring the upper edge of the inner rim being higher than the upper edge of the outer rim, and a head stretched over the upper edge of the inner rim and over the upper edge of the outer rim.

2. In a banjo, a neck having an end face, an outer rim fitting against the end face, a spacing ring extending inwardly from the lower edge of the outer rim, an inner rim fitting against and extending upwardly from the spacing ring and spaced from the outer rim, the upper end of the inner rim being higher than the upper end of the outer rim, a head stretched over the inner rim and over the outer rim, and a brace extending from the face of the neck across the body of the banjo and having its outer end inserted through the inner rim and against the outer rim.

3. In a banjo, an outer rim, an inner rim mounted concentric to the outer rim, a spacing ring fitted to the inner and outer rims forming an annular channel, the inner and outer rims having sound holes, and a head fixed to the outer rim and stretched across and bearing upon the inner rim 'on the opposite side of the rims from the spacing ring.

1. In a banjo, a neck having an end face, an outer rim fitting against the end face, a spacing ring fitting in the lower end of the outer rim, an inner rim fitting in the spacing ring, a block between the inner and outer rims in line with the neck, a brace having one end in er ed thr gh he inner and outer rims and through the block into the neck and having the other end inserted through the inner rim against the outer rim, a stop upon the brace having inclined outer faces, and wedges fitting between the in clined outer faces and the inner face of the inner rim.

5. In a banjo, a neck having an end face, an outer rim fitting against the end face, a spacing ring fitting in the lower end of the outer rim, an inner rim fitting in the spacing ring, a block between the inner and outer rims in line with the neck, a brace hav ing one end inserted through the inner and outer rims and through the block into the neck and having the other end' inserted through the inner rim against the outer rim, a stop upon the brace having inclined outer faces, wedges fitting between the inclined outer faces and the inner face of the inner rim, a screw inserted through the outer rim into the opposite end of the brace from the wedges, a head upon the screw, and means for connecting the strings to the head.

6. In a banjo, a neck having an end face, an outer rim fitting against theend face and having sound holes, a spacing ring extending inwardly from the lower edge of the outer rim, an inner rim fitting against and extending upwardly from the spacing ring and having sound holes, the upper edge of the inner rim being somewhat higher than the upper edge of the outer rim, a head fixed to the outer rim and stretched over the upper edge of the inner rim, a block fitting between the inner and outer rims in line with the neck, and a brace extending from the neck through the block and across the rims and inserted through the inner rim and against the outer rim.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

LORENZO PIAZZA. 

